A high speed police chase this morning sparked riots in Ndola after a pirate taxi driver who was being pursued swayed off the road and killed a street vendor.

The incident happened around 10:00 hours today when a group of anti-piracy police squad patrolled Chisokone main station in Ndola.

Police were pursuing a pirate taxi driver who was driving a Toyota Regius registration number ACP 3927 along Chisokone road in Ndola.

As the police chased, the pirate driver lost control of the car and hit into a vendor who sales eggs near Chisokone market. The vendor died instantly and his intestines came out.

When people saw that, they became hostile towards the traffic police officers. After the officers ran away in their vehicle, the residents mobilised themselves, blocked all the roads in the central business district and started burning tyres.

Right now, police have returned. They are firing teargas to disperse the people as they are trying to pick up the body. So business now in Ndola has come to a stand still. All the shops including Shoprite, Pick and Pay have all been closed.